The Red Shed Tapes: A McMenamins Podcast

Hosted by Shannon McMenamin

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Jun 2026

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About the show

Welcome to "The Red Shed Tapes," a mixtape of the stories and lore at the heart of McMenamins' long, strange trip. An ongoing collection of history, interviews and behind the scenes antics, "The Red Shed Tapes" celebrates McMenamins' devotion to community, art, music, historic preservation, and enchanting spaces where people forge lasting memories. Grab your headphones, pour yourself a pint, and meet host Shannon McMenamin where the past and present intertwine, and the magic of McMenamins' universe unfolds before your ears.

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12 recent

June 11, 2026Episode 1125 min

Melt Into a Dream

We take you inside a little-known McMenamins tradition: the annual Barley Brew. On this day, a group of McMenamins folk follow in the footsteps of our first brewers from the '80s to craft a very special beer celebrating the birthday of our first pub, the Barley Mill. You'll hear about the people who make it happen, how it began, and how a touch of magic makes this beer like no other. Check out the transcript & photos here on the BLOG Produced by McMenamins and Gretchen Kilby Host: Shannon McMenamin Sound design & audio editing: Gretchen Kilby Interviews & audio composition: Kat Nyberg Writing & editing: Michelle "Jake" Robbins, Kat Nyberg, Gretchen Kilby McMenamins production team: Kat Nyberg, Michelle "Jake" Robbins, Renee Rank Ignacio Art: Lillian Ripley Email The Red Shed Tapes: podcast@mcmenamins.com Website: mcmenamins.com/podcast

April 7, 2026Episode 1035 min

Rainbow Full of Sound

This episode is all about connections. The connections between an unexpected gift, a thousand-year old poem, a legendary jazz musician, a stolen illustration, the Grateful Dead, and how they all converged in the creation of a secret room at McMenamins Kennedy School. You'll hear the story behind it all, including descriptions from the artists on how it all came to fruition. Check out the transcript & photos here on the BLOG Produced by McMenamins and Gretchen Kilby Host: Shannon McMenamin Sound design & audio editing: Gretchen Kilby Interviews & audio composition: Kat Nyberg Writing & editing: Kat Nyberg, Michelle "Jake" Robbins, Gretchen Kilby McMenamins production team: Kat Nyberg, Michelle "Jake" Robbins, Renee Rank Ignacio Art: Lillian Ripley Email The Red Shed Tapes: podcast@mcmenamins.com Website: mcmenamins.com/podcast

December 8, 2025Episode 920 min

December to Remember

In this episode marking the 20th anniversary of Portland's iconic concert series December to Remember, we listen in on a conversation between co-founders Jimi Biron, McMenamins' music director, and Mark Hamilton, program director for 94/7 fm. You'll hear how the series is unique and why so many Portlanders who've been to December to Remember shows are still saying, "I heard them when." Check out the transcript & photos here on the BLOG Produced by McMenamins and Gretchen Kilby Host: Shannon McMenamin Sound design & audio editing: Gretchen Kilby Writing: Michelle "Jake" Robbins McMenamins audio and interview: Kat Nyberg McMenamins production team: Kat Nyberg, Michelle "Jake Robbins, Renee Rank Ignacio Art: Lillian Ripley Email The Red Shed Tapes: podcast@mcmenamins.com Website: mcmenamins.com/podcast

November 25, 2025Episode 835 min

From Here to Forever: Celebrating 40 Years of Oregon's Brewpub Law

Today when you go to a pub in Oregon, you'll find a long list of locally brewed craft beers. That wasn't always the case. In 1985 a handful of brewing pioneers, including Mike and Brian McMenamin, changed the future of beer in Oregon forever. Host Shannon McMenamin and her cousin Conners take a look back at the role their dads played in passing the Brewpub Bill; we hear from some of the original pioneers, talk to brewers today, and muse about how pub culture has changed. Check out the transcript & photos here on the BLOG Produced by McMenamins and Gretchen Kilby Host: Shannon McMenamin Sound design and audio editing: Gretchen Kilby Writing: Michelle "Jake Robbins Editing: Michelle "Jake" Robbins, Gretchen Kilby, and Kat Nyberg McMenamins archival audio and photos: Kat Nyberg Additional archival photos courtesy of John Foyston McMenamins production team: Michelle "Jake" Robbins, Kat Nyberg, and Renee Rank Ignacio Art: Lillian Ripley Get in touch with The Red Shed Tapes: podcast@mcmenamins.com Website: www.mcmenamins.com/podcast

May 2, 2025Episode 736 min

UFO Festival: Garrett Graff Examines the Government's History of UAP Secrecy

On this B-side episode we dip into our archives to hear journalist Garrett Graff's expert take on the government's 80-year search for alien life. The Pulitzer Prize finalist explores everything from CIA insiders to the "summer of the flying saucer" to the odds of life out there. Check out the transcript & photos here on the BLOG Produced by McMenamins and Gretchen Kilby Host: Shannon McMenamin Sound design & audio editing: Gretchen Kilby Writing: Michelle Jacobson Robbins McMenamins' production team: Kat Nyberg, Michelle Jacobson Robbins, Renee Rank Ignacio Video Production: Kat Nyberg UFO Fest archival audio, video & photo: Kat Nyberg & Patrick Chapman UFO Fest A/V engineer: Rand Deahl Music: Jim Brunberg & Ben Landsverk at Wonderly Art: Lillian Ripley Get in touch with The Red Shed Tapes: podcast@mcmenamins.com Website: www.mcmenamins.com/podcast

April 25, 2025Episode 652 min

UFO Festival: Kathleen Marden and the Abduction of Betty & Barney Hill

Today on the B-side… In 1961 a couple driving across New Hampshire spotted something unusual in the night sky. What happened next is the stuff of science fiction – only it wasn't to Betty and Barney Hill. On this episode of The Red Shed Tapes, B-side you'll hear the detailed account and evidence of their alien encounter from ET contact researcher and the Hills' niece, Kathleen Marden. Check out the transcript & photos here on the BLOG Produced by McMenamins and Gretchen Kilby Host: Shannon McMenamin Sound design & audio editing: Gretchen Kilby Writing: Michelle Jacobson Robbins McMenamins' production team: Kat Nyberg, Michelle Jacobson Robbins, Renee Rank Ignacio Video production: Kat Nyberg UFO Fest archival audio, video & photo: Kat Nyberg UFO Fest A/V engineer: Rand Deahl Music: Jim Brunberg & Ben Landsverk at Wonderly Art: Lillian Ripley Get in touch with The Red Shed Tapes: podcast@mcmenamins.com Website: www.mcmenamins.com/podcast

April 18, 2025Episode 51 hr 9 min

UFO Festival: Top Gun Pilot, Witness to the "Tic Tac" UFO

Welcome to the first B-side episode of The Red Shed Tapes! In these episodes we play recordings and interviews from our archives… In this episode you'll hear Top Gun pilot David Fravor's play-by-play of his close encounter with the "Tic Tac" UFO, made famous by The New York Times. Commander Fravor spoke at McMenamins UFO Fest 2019 in what he called, "probably my first and last public appearance." We're playing this rare presentation in its entirety – prepare to be amazed. Check out the transcript & photos here on the BLOG Produced by McMenamins and Gretchen Kilby Host: Shannon McMenamin Sound design & audio editing: Gretchen Kilby Writing: Michelle Jacobson Robbins McMenamins' production team: Kat Nyberg, Michelle Jacobson Robbins, Renee Rank Ignacio Video production: Kat Nyberg UFO Fest archival audio, video & photo: Kat Nyberg, JD Breneiser Art: Lillian Ripley Get in touch with The Red Shed Tapes: podcast@mcmenamins.com Website: www.mcmenamins.com/podcast

December 18, 2024Episode 440 min

Look for Something Built to Last

Customers at McMenamins pubs and hotels often look around in wonder at how nothing matches, yet everything goes together. They contemplate unusual, historical objects filling spaces from floor to ceiling and marvel at bars intricately carved. In this episode, host Shannon McMenamin delves into where it all came from. She talks to antiques dealers and a local historian, gets nostalgic about the old Portland Hotel, and learns how a Brunswick backbar from Portland's legendary Lotus Café & Card Room ended up at McMenamins Back Stage Bar. Check out the transcript & photos here on the BLOG Produced by McMenamins, Gretchen Kilby and Jess Is Creative Host: Shannon McMenamin Sound design & audio editing: Gretchen Kilby Writing: Jess Lyness of Jess Is Creative Video production: Kat Nyberg McMenamins archival audio, video & photos: Kat Nyberg McMenamins archival photos: Liz Devine McMenamins production team: Kat Nyberg, Michelle "Jake" Robbins, Renee Rank Ignacio Art: Lillian Ripley Get in touch with The Red Shed Tapes: podcast@mcmenamins.com Website: www.mcmenamins.com/podcast

August 22, 2024Episode 336 min

One Man Gathers What Another Man Spills: Chasing History

What kind of pub/hotel/handcrafting/live music business has a history department? And why? In Episode 3 of The Red Shed Tapes we're talking about how history is an integral part of the McMenamins experience and how 28-year historian Tim Hills built a department from the ground up as the company was restoring buildings from the roof down. We'll meet staff historians, hear from superstar drag queen Poison Waters, and stop by the second biggest UFO festival in the U.S. But first, a story about the Godfather of Soul, James Brown. Check out the transcript & photos here on the BLOG Produced by McMenamins, Gretchen Kilby and Jess Is Creative Host: Shannon McMenamin Sound design & audio editing: Gretchen Kilby Writing: Kat Nyberg and Jess Lyness of Jess Is Creative Editing: Michelle "Jake" Robbins Video production: Kat Nyberg McMenamins archival audio, video & photos: Kat Nyberg McMenamins archival photos: Liz Devine McMenamins production team: Kat Nyberg, Michelle "Jake" Robbins, Renee Rank Ignacio Art: Lillian Ripley Read more about Tim Hills's evening with James Brown in his essay. McMenamins UFO Fest McMenamins History Pubs Get in touch with The Red Shed Tapes: podcast@mcmenamins.com Website: www.mcmenamins.com/podcast

January 31, 2024Episode 238 min

Let There be Songs to Fill the Air

Creating a place to hear music is a lot like creating music itself: You have to know when to leave space for drama and resonance, and every decision counts. In Episode Two of The Red Shed Tapes, we'll hear about reopening the legendary Crystal Ballroom during the height of Portland's indie rock era. We'll find out why curating playlists for each McMenamins pub is a lot like mixing the perfect cocktail, and Scott Avett of the Avett Brothers will tell the tale of a yearslong friendship that all started with a meeting at McMenamins. Check out the transcript & photos here on the BLOG Produced by McMenamins and Maxwell Host: Shannon McMenamin Featured Guests: Jimi Biron, Scott Avett, Dan McMenamin, Mike McMenamin, and Tim Hills Audio Editor: Gretchen Kilby Writer: Jess Lyness, Maxwell Archival Recordings: Kat Nyberg McMenamins team: Renee Rank Ignacio, Kat Nyberg, Jake Robbins Maxwell team: Jen Maxwell-Muir, Kate Castillo, Janelle Jordan, and Tyler Brewington Podcast theme music by Jim Brunberg & Ben Landsverk of Wonderly Additional music from Epidemic Sound and AudioHero Artwork by Lillian Ripley Thanks to the staff at McMenamins Crystal Hotel. A special thank you to all of the artists who have played at McMenamins! And we're especially grateful to Scott Avett of the Avett Brothers for joining us on this episode. Get in touch with The Red Shed Tapes: podcast@mcmenamins.com Website: www.mcmenamins.com/podcast